United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

Timor-Leste, 1999–2002. Draft, not yet reviewed

UNTAET provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on 25 October 1999, until its independence on 20 May 2002, following the outcome of the East Timor Special Autonomy Referendum. A rarity for United Nations peacekeeping missions, UNTAET involved the United Nations directly administering the territory of East Timor. The transitional administration was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1272 in 1999. UNTAET was abolished on 20 May 2002, with most functions passed to the East Timor government.

Seat of power: Dili

No rulers documented for this era yet.

Culture

The mission's responsibilities included providing a peacekeeping force to maintain security and order; facilitating and co-ordinating relief assistance to the East Timorese; facilitating emergency rehabilitation of physical infrastructure; administering East Timor and creating structures for sustainable governance and the rule of law; and assisting in the drafting of a new constitution and conducting elections.
After the 1999 vote for independence, paramilitary groups working with the Indonesian military undertook a final wave of violence during which most of the country's infrastructure was destroyed. The Australian-led International Force for East Timor restored order.
The forces were led by Australia, which provided the largest contingent and the out of theatre base for operations, supported by Portugal who sent the second largest contingent securing the key central areas of the country.

Picture

Dili is the capital and largest city of Timor-Leste, on the northern coast of the island of Timor.

Image: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.